Bossier Parish Police Jury attorney Patrick Jackson says the facts will shock the public.
EMS Director Duxie Scott was placed on paid leave by Parish Administrator Bill Altimus, after meeting with Scott on Tuesday and asking him to resign, an offer which Scott refused.
Today all five members of the board resigned, three after being asked.
The first two had called the police jury’s attention to problems with the system and resigned out of frustration that nothing had been done.
When the Police Jury did look into it, they found building materials stolen, huge raises given to employees without the approval of the board and erratic hiring practices, including the hiring of a convicted felon.
Homeland Security Director Sammy Halphen will take over operation of the system as interim director and will work with other authorities investigating the charges.
It will be interesting to find out who knew what and when.
Bossier Press-Tribune Story
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
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Because the whole damn parish is that way...sheriff,chiefs,police jury,school board....Politics as usual. the good ol boy way!!!!
ReplyDeletei dont see the fuss its what the voters apparently want.
ReplyDeleteWhat in God's name did Sammy Halphen see or what does he know about who that would even begin to allow him these two top jobs? Something is very wrong with this picture?? The people have got to wake up!! He is probably a good man but give someone else a break, Homeland Security should be a handfull! He needs a BIG S sewn to the front of his shirt-
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know who the five EMS board members are that resigned? I have searched high and low and can't find their names anywhere? You would think they would be listed somewhere?!
ReplyDeleteKudos to Jim Potts at the Bossier Press Tribune and his article on their website....he reports more very interesting information AND names the board members! Thanks Jim Potts for being on top of it! Hope the married employee having sex at work has fessed up at home?! They may be in trouble!
ReplyDeleteOf all the people to put in charge, Halphen, really.
ReplyDeleteYou have to be kidding me, how convenient for him. He screwed up bossier city, now the parish is gonna let him screw it up.
There may be some crooked things going on with the ems but before it is said and done he will spend more money and cost the system more than the crooked things did.
Bossier Press Tribune has it
ReplyDeleteEMS Vice President Berry resigned
before the meeting along with EMS Board Member David Anderson. EMS Board Member and Haughton Town Alderwoman Dorris Grappe and EMS Board Member and Plain Dealing Town Alderwoman Charlotte Hammiter sent in letters of resignation under protest.
Halphen is taking over EMS now but why was he hired in the first place for Homeland Security? I thought Sandy Davis was the Homeland Security Director for this area. So the Police Jury went and hired Halphen for what reason? The only reason I can think of is the main reason most people retire from one taxpayer supported job and go directly to another...Bossier politics at it's finest. We did fine without Halphen before so why do we need him now? This job was created for him since it was announced as soon as he retired from the BCFD.
ReplyDeleteeasy to blame people for the troubles at ems - but looks like if falls squarely on the shoulders of the boss - if he turned a blind eye and let others run the department and do things that should not have been done - only person to blame is the top dog - blaming halphen is completely laughable - did he hire the felon - did he pay the mechanic 65K, did he hire his son, and brother in law and allow his top administrators to hire their wives - i think not - folks that are dogging the folks that reported this ought to take a look at the evidence - just request it - and its yours - no need to wonder what really happend and when
ReplyDeleteLooks as if the low morale issue has migrated from the city to the parish? Common denominator anyone?
ReplyDeleteI just put a link in the blog post to the Press-Tribune story mentioned by anon 9:13 & by Clint.
ReplyDeleteBossier City and Bossier Parish are experiencing things folks would find hard to believe unless they lived here and saw it themselves. The Sheriff's Dept., School Board, the Police Retirement System (where some folks definitely should face criminal charges), and now this. Of course I could go on and on. Unbelievable!
ReplyDeleteNothing against Sammy Halphen but doesn't he have enough responsibility already? Was there no one else qualified? Its the same names, the same group of people. I mean this power and control thing is beyond ridiculous. Last night I posted a comment on the MPERS article about all the unethical behavior from all elected officials and was called inbred. Now this article comes out today. Well when I keep reading about the elected and appointed officials doing all the these things and how they are all connected in some way, it sounds like they are the ones inbreeding.
ReplyDeleteAnon April 21, 2011 1:43 AM
ReplyDeleteNothing against Sammy Halphen but doesn't he have enough responsibility already?
This question in your post seems to be out of context with the rest of your comment criticizing the same names, same group of people regarding power and control. He is one of those you speak of. The job Halphen has did not even exist before he retired from the BCFD. It was created just for him. So with that in mind I would think he has plenty of time to do it. I also think the goal of many is to end up with Halphen to also be in charge of the EMS replacing Scott. And if he is guilty as charged he should be replaced and criminal charges filed against him. It will be interesting to see how the Sheriff handles this since I'm sure many would think of Scott as one of "the good old boys".
Nobody noticed this stuff going on before now? Who signs payroll checks and job performance reports? If they are not included, they should be. Sounds as if these accusations are true nobody was guarding the hen house. Maybe the police jury needs to be investigated for allowing all this to continue as long as it did.
ReplyDeleteIf accusations are true, then resignations should happen, but I hope this is not a political motivated move just to find Sammy Halphen a job he likes. First he screws up the BC Fire Chief appointment (the fireman could not stand him), so they made up a new position at Homeland Security for him (this task was previously managed by Marshal Wyatt and his deputies). Don't guess it is going so well there, so he is going to be EMS now. Give me a break! Believe me, if there is a problem, niether Halphen brother is ever the right answer.
Police Jury "PLEASE" they created a BIG job for Billy Montgomery and gave him a take home car when he lost his election to go back to Baton Rouge. You would not believe the salary he got. So please don't look to the Police Jury to clean up anything they are thick as theives them selves.
ReplyDeleteI remember how they attacked ken Starr when he investigated Clinton - attack the messenger is a common defense of those accused - seems pretty silly to me that anyone can be responsible other than those at ems who have allowed these things to happen.
ReplyDeleteFull BPPJ report and letters of resignation posted on Tea Party website http://nwlatpa.ning.com
ReplyDeletea LOT of attacking Halphen going on here. I don't know which is founded and which is unfounded computer-chair quarterbacking... but wasn't Halphen just named it temporarily? I think naming the ex-fire chief (regardless of what you think of his job - which I don't have any idea about whether was bad like is being said) is an acceptable thing to do.
ReplyDeleteNow we know why bossier has such a low crime rate. All the criminals are politicians or working for them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Clint. Sammy Halphen is there and has the experience to handle the job. Why not put him in on a temporary basis to oversee it?
ReplyDeleteSometimes it takes actually being within an organization to see and understand when there are other motives for change. As for Halphen being named interim wait and see it will be permanent. Who exactly does he oversee as homeland sec. director? There is no one that he can dictate to in the homeland security position. Just ask any firefighter at BC about the dictator leadership that use to exist.
ReplyDeleteAnon April 21, 2011 10:24 AM
ReplyDeleteI believe the D.A. also created an "office manager" type job for Judge Kitchens when he retired several years ago. So there's kitchens, Montgomery, Halphen, and who will be next?
It will end up being discovered that halphen was involved in more than this than most know.
ReplyDeleteMatt, you are back! Haven't heard from you since your Richard butt-kicking. Remeber, be veeerrryyy careful what you post. One law suit at a time, hey Matt.
ReplyDeleteYall, I smell the stench of a politically motivated old time lynching. You can bet little Sammy has his hands in stirring the pot of accusations against Mr. Scott. They made up the homeland security job for him and he didn't like it so now he has set his sights on another job and he will stop at nothing to get it. Shame on Altimus and the jury for going along with this nonsense. I see one huge law-suit in the making!
ReplyDeleteIt's time to vote out the enitire Policy Jury
ReplyDeleteCan somebody tell me what happened with the DWI one of our Police Jury members got. Want mention a name but they know who they are.
ReplyDeleteThe conspiracy theories about making a homeland security job for someone.... and his being involved in getting folks to resign.... are beyond ridiculous. Folks it's ok to not care for a guy but the speculation on here is pretty absurd. If, however, any of these accusations are founded and you have research or a link (not "my brother said that's just how they do it" or "well the 'good ol boys' always") I'll completely support all of it.
ReplyDeleteI think they need to put that team of investigators that blew the School Board wide open on this one. There is probably a whole lot more to this then what's being said.
ReplyDeleteSomebody please explain to me why a fireman and noT a police man is over Homeland SECURITY!!! Only in Bossier Parish.
ReplyDeleteAnon @ 6:33 - not really "only" in Bossier Parish. The Secretary of Homeland SECURITY is a lawyer... not a policeman.
ReplyDeleteWe need some new blood in the political jobs around here. No more lawyers! We need to elect some conservative working people who have worked and earned every thing they have. To go from one highly paid position to having another one created for you is at the bottom of the barrel. I to agree lets clean house in Benton from the Sheriffs Office to the Police Jury.
ReplyDeleteWho do you propose?
ReplyDeleteAs numerous accustions against Mr. Scott, the former EMS Director, have been proven as false, why hasn't the media printed the truth and retracted their initial columns. They were all gungho to drag his name through the mud, but when the truth is revealed it is a different story.
ReplyDeleteBill Altimus pulled the Homeland Security Director position out of the air for Halphen. The police jury forced Halphen down the throats of the EMS board to the tune of $65,000 a year towards the salary and a vehicle, which Halphen ordered behind the back of his supervisor, Mr. Scott. The police jury kicks in $15,000 to make up the balance of the $80,000 salary. The EMS Board and Mr. Scott did not share the same enthusiasm that Altimus and the others had, so the police jury got rid of all of them. Now they have a hand picked board and soon will have a hand picked director. Of course they ruined a man's name and reputation to do this but they have no conscious. Good thing it is an election year.
A follow up of the ACTUAL findings is needed. A member of the Shreveport Fire Department was retiring and needed a job to supplement his retirement pay. The position Mr. Scott held was chosen as what would be offered. If you do your homework, the facts will show that Mr. Scott broke no laws and that the allegations were proven false.
ReplyDelete